Kulfi Kesar Badam – Dry Fruits Ice Cream – Candy

Summer is on its way. Searching for something quenching from the scorching Sun…So here you find the right delight! Kesar badam Kulfi (Ice Cream) is super simple to make and equally satisfying.

Ingredients:

Milk – 4 cups

Sugar – ¾ cup

Cashews – fistful

Pistachios – fistful

Almonds – fistful (soak in hot water and remove the skin)

Saffron strands – few (soak in little milk and keep aside)

Cardamom Powder – ¼ tsp

Corn Flour – 1tsp

Preparation:

Grind the blanched almonds, cashews and pistachios together by putting little milk to get a coarse mixture.

Method:

Take milk in a pan. Boil it, till it reduces to half, on low flame. Keep stirring in between.

Put sugar in it and cook little more till it gets dissolved.

Now add the dry fruit mixture, cardamom powder and the dissolved saffron and cook  for 2-3 mins and stir nicely.

Now dissolve corn flour in 1tbsp water and add it to the above mixture and cook for 2-3 mins till it starts thickening. The final mixture should be really thick.

Let the mixture cool and then fill it in the kulfi moulds or put it in an aluminum container with lid and put it in the freezer. It will take around 6-7 hours to set.

To take the kulfi out from the mould, put the mould in a bowl of water for few seconds. Enjoy!!!

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Instant Paneer Kulcha

Kulcha had always been a mystery to me before I made this “instant paneer kulcha”…So here is the mystery demystified!

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (maida) – 200gm (2 cups)

Semolina (suji) – 50 gm ( ½   cup)

Water – (¼  + ½ )cup

Baking Powder – 1 ½ tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

For stuffing (filling):

Cottage Cheese (Paneer) – 100gm (grated or mashed)

Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)

Green Chilly – 2 tsp (finely chopped)

Red Chilly Powder – ½ tsp

Black Pepper Powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – to taste

Method:

Soak semolina and sugar in ¼ cup water. Mix well and keep it aside for 15 mins.

Sift maida and baking powder. Add salt and sugar semolina mixture to it. Bind it into a soft dough using ½ cup water. Do not knead.

Brush some oil on the dough, cover it with a moist cloth and leave it for at least 30 mins.

Prepare the stuffing/filling by mixing all the ingredients mentioned above.

Heat the tandoor for 2-3 mins on high flame.(I used bati tandoor, you can also use electric oven)

Divide the dough in 8 equal sized balls. Take a ball, flatten it a little and fill the stuffing inside it and close it. (Like the way we do for stuffed paratha.) Now flatten it like a chapatti/roti using maida. Dust off the extra maida. Remember not to make the kulcha very thin.

Place it in the hot tandoor and cook on low flame. Cook from both the sides till light brown specks appear.

Grease with butter and serve with any side dish.

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Steamed Banana Cake (Eggless)

Yes, you can bake by steaming method also!!! It is really quick and easy way to make a spongy and moist cake which is delicious and yummy. When I read about it, I was so excited to make it as it was super simple and less messy. And after I baked by this method, my family keeps on demanding it more and more!!!

It is actually a Chinese way of making cake.

So enjoy the super tasty and healthy, steamed banana cake –

Preparation Time – 10 min              Cooking Time – 20 mins

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (maida) – 100 gm

Sugar- 50 gm (powdered)

Ripe Banana – 1 big or 2 small (mashed)

Milk – ¼ cup

Water – 2 -3 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp (any flavourless oil)

Baking Powder – 2 tsp

Raisins or choco chips or tutti fruti– 1tsp (optional)

Pan – greased and dusted with flour

Method:

 Sieve baking powder and flour together, twice and keep it.

Keep the steamer ready. (You can use any utensil like cooker, deep pan or kadai 
for steaming.) Put water in it and bring it to rolling boil.

In a bowl mix all the ingredients except flour and raisins or choco chips.

Beat them all until well combined.

Now add flour and mix gently. Add raisins or choco chips. Check for no lumps in 
the batter. It should be smooth.

Now pour the batter in the greased pan and steam for 15-20 min. Check with a 
toothpick by inserting in the center of the cake. It should come out clean.

When the cake is done, remove from the steamer and allow it to cool for about 20 
mins. The cake will leave the sides of the pan by itself and then invert it on a plate.

 Serve warm. 

It can be stored only for a day in the fridge.

Tips:

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature.

Put enough water in the steamer so that it doesn’t get all dried up in between.

Do not beat after mixing the flour. Just mix it slowly so that no lumps are there.

Do not cover the cake pan. Only cover the utensil in which you are steaming.

Do not open the lid while steaming.

 If using cooker, don’t use rubber ring (gasket) and whistle.

You can top it up with butter frosting, or just have it plain and enjoy the divine taste!

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Baby Corn Capsicum Masala (Stir Fry)

Looking for a delicious treat for dinner!!! Or something new for children which has the goodness of veggies in it…Then the crunchy taste of baby corn capsicum masala will only get you a lot of compliments and the finger licking moments!!!

Ingredients:

·   Baby Corns – 10-12 (cut in pieces)

·   Capsicum – 1 big or 2 small (cut in pieces)

·   Onion – 2 medium size (finely cut)

·   Tomatoes - 2 medium size (pureed)

·   Ginger Garlic Green Chilly Paste (3G paste!)–  2 tbsp

·   Cloves – 2

·   Cinnamon – 1 inch stick

·   Oil – 1+1 tbsp

·   Cumin (jeera) – ½ tsp

·   Coriander powder – 1tsp

·   Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

·   Red chilly powder – to taste

·   Salt – to taste

·   Cashew nuts – fistful

Method:

·   Soak Cashew nuts for 15-20 mins and make a smooth paste.

·   Heat oil in a pan. Put cumin seeds, turmeric powder  and then add baby corn to it. Sauté for 3-4 mins on low flame. Then add capsicum and a pinch of salt and again sauté for 3-4 mins on low flame. Transfer it in a plate.

·   Again heat oil in a pan and put cloves and cinnamon in it. Add the 3G paste and sauté for a minute.

·   To this add the onions and sauté for 2-3 mins.

·   Now put the tomato puree into it and cook till it leaves the raw smell of tomatoes.

·   Now add cashew nut paste, red chilly powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and cook till the masala is really uniform. If the gravy is too thick, add little water to it.

·   Now at the end, add baby corn and capsicum. Mix well and cook for 2-3 mins.

·   Do the taste test for salt and spices.

·   Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with chapatti, paratha, naan, or rice.

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Walnut Chocolate Fudge (Homemade chocolate)

The best way to satisfy your chocolate tooth cravings!!!

I bet, you will only be left with that heavenly taste of chocolate and walnuts in your mind. And you will always desire to make it more, so that it lasts for more.

It was really difficult to stop myself from having it all at one go!!!

Super simple to prepare…

Preparation Time – 5 mins.

Cooking Time – 5 mins

Ingredients:

·   Sweetened Condensed Milk - 200gm

·   Cocoa Powder – 1tbsp

·   Butter (unsalted) – 1tbsp

·   Walnuts – ¼ cup (coarsely grinded)

·   Vanilla Essence – ¼ tsp

·   Greased Plate – to set the fudge

Method:

·   Take a deep pan. Put butter, condensed milk, cocoa powder and vanilla essence in it.

·   Cook on high heat for 1-2 mins, while stirring all the time.

·   Cook till soft ball consistency. (A blob of it dropped in a cup of cold water should set at the bottom and spread.)

·   Take it off the heat and mix in the walnuts.

·   Put immediately in the greased plate to set.

·   Leave it to cool for about 6-7 hrs.

·   Cut it in desired shapes or just have it like that!!!!

It should be stored in the refrigerator and taken out at the time of eating.

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Peanut Butter Banana Cheese Toasties

Sounds too long for a name of a recipe…isn’t it!!!

After reading you won’t call it a recipe…because it’s too short for that!!!

Have them for breakfast, or as an evening snack or for a small quick get together..

Make it in a jiffy and grab it all the same way…

Preparation Time – 2 mins

Cooking time – 2 mins

For 1 sandwich:

Ingredients:

• Bread Slices - 2
• Banana (ripe) – 1 medium sized (cut into small round pieces)

 For spreading:

• Spreadable Cheese
• Butter
• Peanut butter (optional)

Method:

• Spread a layer of cheese on both the slices of bread. (Be generous!)
• Spread peanut butter only on one slice.
• Place banana pieces on one slice and keep another slice on top of it.
• Heat tawa/flat pan. Put little butter on it and keep the sandwich on tawa. Flip the sandwich. Cook till it becomes slight brown from both sides. Put more butter if required. (You can cook a little more to make the sandwich crispier!)
• Cut it in a triangular or any desired shape.
• Serve hot with coffee/tea or they go along with any other soft drink of your choice.

 I prepared it on one bread slice for my little one.

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Nuts and Dry Fruits Medley

                                                                        

 

A sweet is always good in life. And when it is loaded with more of nutrition and less of carbs, it becomes all the more enjoyable. The other good thing about it is that, it has no sugar, no ghee, and no gluten and definitely no guilt!!! It has only dry fruits with the richness of honey/jaggery. Believe me, you can really have it daily, in all seasons and at any time! You can give it to your children with breakfast or in tiffin or at any time of the day. And when it comes to honey/jaggery in it, it has enumerable benefits to your health. Eating jaggery daily in winters really does wonders. And the sweetness of honey is chock-full of goodness of skin and health.

Also, not to forget, nuts and dry fruits may help reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce cholesterol, improve blood sugar in diabetes, help you lose weight and decrease the risk of certain types of cancer. Tree nuts are cholesterol-free and full of important nutrients including protein and fiber. They also contain vitamins such as folic acid, niacin and vitamins E and B6, and minerals. Isn’t it too much…

So just start savoring the sweet…

Ingredients:

• Almonds – 1 bowl
• Cashew nuts – ¾ bowl
• Pistachios – ½ bowl
• Raisins – ¼ bowl or Dates- ¼ bowl (deseeded and chopped in small pieces)
• Sesame seeds- ¾ bowl (needed if preparing during winters)
• Coconut Powder – ¾ bowl (optional)
• Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp
• Jaggery – 1 ¼ bowl (grate it and then measure in a bowl. Just lightly put it into the bowl. Don’t press. Take 1 full heaped up bowl and ¼ more).             OR
• Honey – 250 gm (approx)

 

Method:

Dry roast almonds, cashews, pistachios and sesame seeds separately. Put almonds in kadai on low flame and roast it till they become really hot, stirring frequently. Similarly, do it for cashews, pistachios and sesame seeds. For sesame seeds, the color will become light brown. (You can do dry roasting in microwave also).

Let them cool (room temperature) and then coarsely grind them separately. Grind only till you get fine pieces and not the powder.

Grind only half of the sesame seeds. Store the other half for putting as whole.

Now mix all of the above in a big bowl. Add raisins or dates, coconut powder and cardamom powder to it. Mix everything well. Dry mixture is ready.

Binding with Honey

Grease your hands with little ghee. Start by putting honey in small parts of the mixture, mix it by hand and bind into small laddus. Repeat the process. Since the mixture becomes sticky, don’t put full honey at one go. 

Binding with Jaggery

Grease a plate (1 inch deep) with ghee.

Making Jaggery syrup – Take jaggery in a pan and put water in it (till it is submerged in water). Keep on low flame and start boiling while stirring. Keep boiling till a drop of syrup put on a plate sticks there and doesn’t roll over.

Now immediately put the dry mixture into the hot syrup, mix well and spread in the greased plate to set. Let it set for about 6-7 hrs and then cut into squares. If binding into laddus, then let the syrup cool a bit and then put it into the mixture and quickly bind in laddus.

If stored in an airtight container, they can be consumed for about a month.

It you liked this post or found it useful, please share your thoughts, comments on it. They really mean a lot to me and will keep me going!!
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